We hear, on this site, far too often of the wrongs which are perpetrated in the name of Christianity. Follow me below the squiggle for something different...
United Methodists Endorse Marriage Equality
This is going to be a rather short and to the point diary, but it's something I thought should have some attention brought to it. I'm not a Christian, nor do I have anything against Christianity. However, being a gay American...I've had the cross-hairs of certain Christian sects painted on me and mine for years now. This has, for many I know, soured many gay American's view on organized religion - and more specifically some of the more right wing (extremist) sects of Christianity.
This ray of sunshine, brought to you by the United Methodist Conference of the Pacific Northwest, really did a lot to re-affirm what real Christians are supposed to be and the beliefs they should embrace. To be Christian, as I understand it, is to live your life as "Christ-like" as possible. These wonderful people...these loving, wonderful people really stand out as an example of what - in my mind - the Christian religion should exemplify. The United Methodists were certainly under no obligation to step up and support Marriage Equality in the state of Washington. However, they understood it to be the right thing to do, the compassionate thing to do...and if I may be so bold as to assume - the thing that Christ would do.
So, I think that we need to be cautious when painting groups (The Christian religion as a whole and not necessarily the United Methodists specifically) which may have historically been at odds with the Progressive Movement - sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised.
Blessed Be.